Featured Member
This month's featured member is
Hiwot Ethiopia
About HIWOT
Hiwot Ethiopia an indigenous local organization established as a youth club back in 1995 by 14 youth volunteers who were shocked by the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS and sexual reproductive health hazards including sexual violence. Maturing through time and experience, the then youth club started to grow in to a youth association and become an NGO beginning in the year 2001. The organization currently operates in Addis Ababa and Amhara Regional State, in selected 3 Woredas and 52 districts from its head office located in Addis Ababa around Arat Kilo/ Eri Bekentu Bridge.
Overview of Programs
Derived by its SPM, internal policies and procedures, Hiwot Ethiopia mainly focuses on improving the health, well being and development of children, youth and adults in its operational areas. Accordingly, its strategic directions are derived from 3 major program areas namely Child Development Programming, ASRH and HIV/AIDS Programming and Youth Livelihood Programming. All in all the 3 program areas are devoted to address:
- Child Development Programming
- Preventing sexual abuse, exploitation and GBV among boys and girls
- Protecting children from sexual abuse, exploitation, violence and GBV
- Ensuring quality of education and safe school environment
- Build the capacity of child focused clubs and NGOs
- ASRH and HIV/AIDS Programming
- Prevent the spread of HIV and GBV
- Address the SRH rights and needs of adolescent girls
- Tackle early marriage and HTPs experience by rural girls
- Youth Livelihood Programming
- Improve youth livelihood through the provision of technical, material and financial requirements
- Assist youth members to actively participate in IGAs.
Details about GBV programs and strategies used
The history of GBV prevention work in Hiwot Ethiopia dates backs to time spent formally performing different activities that challenge long held attitudes and practices affecting the lives of Ethiopians. Beginning 2005 – 2006 where the organization revised its strategic directions, the organization started to formally and aggressively engage in GBV prevention works giving importance to the matter in its strategic direction. GBV prevention work is mainstreamed in all of its program areas for the last 5-6 years; the organization has actively participated in number of GBV prevention work and participated in the 16 days of activism, collaborating for the 1st with the GBV Prevention Network in 2009.
For us in Hiwot Ethiopia, GBV refers to violence that girls, boys, women and men are facing in terms of different forms. Realizing the severity of GBV among the lives millions of Ethiopians, Hiwot Ethiopia has adopted and used number of strategies that comply with its strategic direction. Strategies include production and dissemination of IEC materials, interactive music and drama performances, campaigns, workshops and discussions, and capacity building.
Beginning 2005 Hiwot Ethiopia has started to engage boys and men in an effort to end GBV. Using this strategy, Hiwot was able to prevent GBV through challenging dominant gender norms, enhance the knowledge, attitude and practice of participants, address SRH issues, harmonize the roles, responsibilities, practices and relationships among men and women, girls and boys.
Hiwot Ethiopia has implemented a number of male engagement projects (such as the Men as Partners Project) that produce remarkable result. Involving and engaging the missing part of the equation, MEN, was able to challenge the rooted dominant gender norms that threaten the lives of women and girls which on the same time affect the lives of boys and men.
Lessons learnt
Despite the pressures witnessed from the number of resisting groups, the organization was able to prove the constructive role men can play in the lives of their partners as well as children. This was achieved through equipping the active participants of the major violent acts, men, with the basic skills and knowledge required to make healthier and happier families. Furthermore, operating in a male gender dominant environment, Hiwot has learnt the importance and necessity of collaborative and networked effort to effectively address GBV once and for all.
Resources
For more information contact:
Samuel Tewolde
Program Coordinator
Hiwot Ethiopia
Tel. +251 111 11 4955
www.hiwot.org.et
Blog site: http://hiwotethiopia.org.et wordpress.com
View last month's featured member here.